Literary/Books/Reading
What you should know about our vintage and antique bookends.
| All our items have a history; they have been previously owned, which is part of their unique charm. They have normal signs of age and use and most collectors believe that, too, adds to their allure. | We describe and show items as thoroughly as possible. All weights are for the pair. All items are subject to prior sale. Enjoy browsing our outstanding collection of rare treasures. |
#1004 "Stratford on Avon"
Price: $125.00 SOLD
| This is a delightful, vintage cast iron pair of bookends showing Shakespeare's home and inscribed "Stratford on Avon." They are from an unknown foundry and are believed to be circa 1920s. | Dimensions: 5-1/2" w x 2" d x 4-1/2" h Weight: 5-1/4 lbs. Condition Comment: Very good vintage condition with only wear as appropriate to age. |
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#1021 Father Knickerbocker
Price: $495.00
| A very rare and substantial vintage set of the colonial Father Knickerbocker relaxing in his library. (Father Knickerbocker used to represent New York City in cartoons, much the way Uncle Sam represents the United States. Produced by the distinguished Judd Company circa 1925, this pair in monochrome cast iron is stamped 9961 and finished with a bronze-copper coating. | Dimensions: 5-1/4" w x 4" d x 5-1/2" h Weight: 11-1/2 lbs. Condition Comment: Good vintage condition with some finish worn away but not to the detriment of the overall effect. |
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#1022 Longfellow Hiawatha Quotes
Price: $425.00
| A substantial, important and rare set of solid bronze bookends from the master craftsmen at Bradley and Hubbard, circa 1925. The Longfellow piece reads: "Forth in to the forest straightaway all alone walked Hiawatha proudly with his bows and arrows - Longfellow" The Hiawatha piece reads: "From the red deer's flesh Nokomis made a banquet in his honor All the village came and feasted All the guests praised Hiawatha." An original Bradley & Hubbard sticker is affixed to one piece. | Dimensions: 5-3/4"w x 3-1/4"d x 6-1/4" h Weight: 10-3/4 lbs. Condition Comment: Excellent vintage condition. |
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#1027 Reading Monk
Price: $175.00
| This is a delightful set in vibrant polychrome over gray metal produced by the well-known Ronson Company. Each is marked L.V.A. (Louis V. Aronson) 1922. | Dimensions: 3-1/4" w x 2" d x 4-1/4"h Weight: 2 lbs. Condition Comment: Very good vintage condition with minor paint loss on the base that does not detract from the overall effect. |
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#1034 Reading Scholar
Price: $125.00 SOLD
| This is believed to be a rare variation of the "Reading Monk" by Ronson, circa 1922 in polychromed gray metal. This version has the world at the scholar's feet. | Dimensions: 4" w x 2-1/4" d x 5" h Weight: 5 lbs. Condition Comment: Good vintage condition with only age-appropriate wear. Felt on bases replaced. |
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#1040 Dickens & Twain
Price: $150.00 SOLD
| The bas relief portraits of these two literary giants, Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, are wonderfully detailed in bronze-coated cast iron circa 1926 and attributed to the X-3 foundry. | Dimensions: 3" w x 4" d x 6" h Weight: 4-1/2 lbs. Condition Comment: Very good vintage condition with only age-appropriate wear. Felt bases replaced. |
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#1043 Bacon/Johnson Quotes
Price: $175.00 SOLD
| The North Wind depiction in the arched top area caps (a bit awkward) each of these magnificent , substantial bronzed cast iron pieces, circa 1930, featuring notable quotes from two brilliant writers. From Samuel Johnson: "Books that you may carry to the fire and hold readily in your hand are the most useful after all." From Francis Bacon: "Reading maketh a full man; writing an exact man; histories make men wise; poets witty." | Dimensions: 6" w x 3-1/4" d x 7" h Weight: 8-1/4 lbs. Condition Comment: Excellent vintage condition with only age-appropriate wear. Felt on bases replaced. |
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#1046 Hold Those Books
Price: $250.00
| This whimsical and colorful bookend set from the celebrated K&O foundry has an old librarian struggling to manage a pile of books taller than he is. Finished in multi-colored polychrome, most of which is still intact, over the gray metal below, this set, circa 1920s, is complemented by a lovely, rich bronze patina. Both pieces are signed with the K&O mark on the - back. | Dimensions: 2-3/4" w x 4" d x 6-1/4" h Weight: 5 lbs. Condition Comment: Very good vintage condition with age-appropriate wear. |
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#1048 Shakespeare Seated
Price: $350.00
| Rare, substantial and important, this depiction of the Bard at work bears not only the imprint of the artist, C.S. Allen, but the original paper label of the esteemed Armor Bronze foundry. This set is the highly-prized bronze-clad polychrome version, circa 1926 with much of the original color faded but highly visible. | Dimensions: 5-3/4" w x 4-1/4" d x 8" h Weight: 6-1/2 lbs. Condition Comment: Excellent vintage condition with age-appropriate wear. |
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#1049 Light of Asia
Price: $325.00
| An impressive and substantial set of polychromed cast iron bookends from the celebrated Bradley & Hubbard foundry that exhibit two quotations from Sir Edwin Arnold's seminal poetic work on the tenets of Buddhism: "Let Love Through Good Deeds Show" and "Lo! Ye Shall Read It In The Sacred Books." Each piece is inscribed with the B&H hallmark on the rear and is believed to be circa 1920s. | Dimensions: 4-7/8" w x 2-5/8" d x 6" h Weight: 6-1/4 lbs. Condition Comment: Good vintage condition with age-appropriate wear including some fading of the polychrome finish and minor nicks that do not diminish the overall effect. Felt on bases replaced. |
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#1050 Longfellow Bust
Price: $375.00
| The celebrated American poet never looked more distinguished than in this strikingly detailed figural bust set into a niche from the masters at Bradley & Hubbard. Each piece has a brass plate along the front edge with the name Longfellow engraved on it. The distinctive B&H mark is stamped into the back of each of these handsome bronze-clad cast iron pieces, circa 1920. A companion set to these, of Shakespeare, is in the Smithsonian Collection. | Dimensions: 4-1/2" w x 2-3/4" d x 5-3/4" h Weight: 12 lbs. Condition Comment: Good vintage condition with some high point finish wear appropriate to its age. |
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#1051 Torch & Books
Price: $125.00 SOLD
| This lovely monochromatic (metallic gold over gray metal) version of the symbolic Torch of Knowledge illuminating the library shelves, from the Philadelphia Manufacturing Co., circa 1930s, is almost identical to a polychrome version of the same subject from Ronson. The original paper foundry labels are still intact on each piece. | Dimensions: 4" w x 2-1/2" d x 5" h Weight: 5 lbs. Condition Comment: Good vintage condition with wear appropriate to its age. |
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#1056 Asleep at Mid-Story
Price: $350.00
| A senior citizen is caught napping in his favorite chair with his book still opened in his lap in this most charming and delightful slice of life from the acclaimed Kronheim & Oldenbusch (K&O) foundry, circa 1929. K&O are renowned for their often whimsical and colorful depictions and this set is no exception. Executed in gray metal with a golden bronze and polychrome finish, the set still bears the K&O markings on the back of each. | Dimensions: 3-1/2" w x 5" d x 4-1/2" h Weight: 5 lbs. Condition Comment: Excellent vintage condition with minor paint wear appropriate to their age. |
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#1063 Turbaned Scholar
Price: $275.00
| This set is a glorious example of the talent of one of the most acclaimed metalworking artists of his era, L.V. Aronson, and demonstrates his exceptional skill. The pieces are intricately detailed, even on the base, and still exhibit the resplendent colors of the polychrome finish over bronze-coated gray metal. Each piece is piece is imprinted "L.V, Aronson, © 1923." | Dimensions: 3-3/4" w x 2-1/2" d x 3-3/4" h Weight: 2 lbs. Condition Comment: Excellent vintage condition with only wear appropriate to their age. |
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#1066 Floppy Books
Price: $295.00
| Here is a whimsical pair of bookends executed with extreme detail, to the point that a casual onlooker would undoubtedly think these are in fact actual books, their leather cover graining and flopping pages are that real looking. In fact, they are polychromed gray metal from the renowned Ronson foundry, circa 1933. Ronson titled them "Limp Grained Leather," and they often are confused with a set made later by PM Craftsmen (Philadelphia Manufacturing) commonly known as "Floppy Books." | Dimensions: 4-1/2" w x 3-1/2" d x 4-1/2" h Weight: 3-1/2 lbs. Condition Comment: Excellent vintage condition with only wear appropriate to their age. |
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#1080 Shakespeare Bust
Price: $275.00 SOLD
| In this exceptional tribute to "The Bard" in bronze-clad gray metal from the distinguished Pompeian Bronze foundry, circa 1925, Shakespeare's bust is complemented by an art deco bas relief frieze above his head which still retains some the original polychrome finish. One of these substantial pieces has the original foundry label in place. | Dimensions: 4-1/2" w x 3-1/4" d x 6-7/8" h Weight: 8-1/4 lbs. Condition Comment: Very good vintage condition with only some loss of color appropriate for its age. |
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#1085 Dante Bust
Price: $250.00
| This rare and superbly crafted set of bronze-clad bookends is a fully figural depiction of Dante Alighieri, known as the "Father of the Italian language." Produced by the esteemed Armor Bronze foundry circa 1920s, its polychrome finish still is vibrant and the original foundry label remains affixed to one piece. | Dimensions: 3-1/2" w 2-1/4" d x 5-1/2" h Weight: 3 lbs. Condition Comment: Very good vintage condition with some minor enamel loss wear appropriate to its age. |
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#1103 Shakespeare Profile Bust
Price: $225.00 SOLD
| This classic sculptural rendition of the heroic bust as bookend bears the Bard's name on the base and is made of cast iron with a lustrous bronze surface finish. Although the foundry is unknown, the pair is believed to be circa 1930s. | Dimensions: 4" w x 1-7/8" d x 6" h Weight: 3-1/2 lbs. Condition Comment: Very good vintage condition with only minor surface wear. Felt on bases replaced. |
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#1122 Shakespeare Bust
Price: $250.00
| The elegant portrait of the Bard of Avon on each of these pieces is executed in striking bas relief and presents a glowing contrast to the dark background. The set is fashioned from cast iron with a bronze finish. Some have attributed this set to Bradley & Hubbard but since neither piece has a maker's mark, we cannot agree. Nevertheless, the workmanship and detail is superior. | Dimensions: 5" w x 2-1/2" d x 6"h Weight: 6-1/2 lbs. Condition Comment: Excellent vintage condition. Felt on bases replaced. |
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#1126 Shakespeare & His Works
Price: $200.00
| This wonderfully detailed bust of William Shakespeare situated in front of the footlights of the theater, pen in hand with manuscript pages strewn about, was produced circa 1930s by the masterful Jennings Bros. foundry. This highly prized set in cast gray metal with a resplendent bronze finish features, on the rear, a partial list of the Bard's works as well as the maker's mark, "JB 2303." | Dimensions: 3-1/2" w x 1-3/4" d x 4-1/4" h Weight: 2-1/4 lbs. Condition Comment: Excellent vintage condition. |
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#1137 Longfellow Quote
Price: $300.00 SOLD
| A portrait of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow adorns the crest of these substantial cast iron pieces from the distinguished Bradley & Hubbard foundry, circa late 1920s. Each bears the poet's quote: "Then read from the treasured volume the poem of thy choice." | Dimensions: 4-1/2" w x 2-1/2" d x 6" h Weight: 7-1/4 lbs. Condition Comment: Very good vintage condition. Felt on bases replaced. |
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